London 2012

Host City Volunteer and Games Volunteer for the London 2012

The London 2012 Games volunteerism is recognized for its huge success in the volunteer operation, along with its significant contribution to the great success of the Games themselves. The host city volunteers were called "Team London
Ambassadors". They offered tourist information, transportation guide and Games information to London visitors at major transportation hubs and sightseeing spots etc. throughout London. The Games volunteers for the London 2012, on the
other hand, were called "Games Makers", as they were seen to be in the center of Games-making.

Team London Ambassador (Host city volunteer)

Allowed to work in the UK (i.e. in possession of British nationality or work visa)

Able to contribute five hours a day for six consecutive days

Able to undergo an interview and a three-day training

Activities

The Ambassadors offered a wide range of London visitor information including tourist information, journey plans to the Games venues, information on nearby shops or toilets and various ongoing or upcoming Games-related events, along
with a hand-out tourist map.

Deployment

Ambassadors were deployed at 43 locations covering London's transportation hubs including major airports and train terminals e.g. Gatwick Airport and St. Pancras station, and major sightseeing spots like Trafalgar Square. Each site
had a dedicated information booth served by 2 to 24 volunteers per shift.

Activity period

A total of 65 days for the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Activity time per head

In general, each Ambassador contributed six consecutive days, five hours a day.

Language support

Ambassadors capable of using another language(s) in addition to English wore one or more badges each carrying a message "I speak XX" in the foreign language they could speak. They made up almost 60% of the whole Ambassadors, speaking
92 different languages in total.

By courtesy of GLA
Source: "Team London Ambassadors: A world in one city" @YouTube

By courtesy of Ms. Juliette Llewellyn
www.londonambassador.wordpress.com
Team London Ambassadors, Mayor of London

Volunteer activity in video

View these videos to find out how volunteers in Team London Ambassadors supported London 2012 Olympic Paralympic Games by providing visitors with information on tourist spots and convenient routes in London during the Game periods.
Here, you can see a diverse team of people, made up of various ages, occupations, and nationalities, working as volunteers.

The London 2012 inspired over half of the Londoners to turn to volunteerism more than ever. Many of them took up volunteering for the first time ever in their lives. The Team London Ambassador volunteerism is still ongoing even long
after the 2012 Games, for a limited period in summer and the Christmas season.

・Summer 2014/2015

By courtesy of GLA

By courtesy of GLA

By courtesy of GLA

・Christmas 2014

London Ambassadors working at Piccadilly Circus bustling with tourists and Christmas shoppers

Games Maker (Games volunteer)

Granted a UK charity worker visa in accordance with the UK immigration law

Able to commit throughout the Games time

Able to undergo pre-training sessions

Activities

Volunteers directly supported and contributed to the success of the Olympic and Paralympic games, by supporting spectators at the venues, communicating with spectators, supporting athletes and referees at the games operations,
providing translation services to athletes, VIP guests and media, supporting medical staff at doping control process and others.

Deployment

Volunteers were deployed at the Games-related venues and facilities including the competition venues, Olympic Villages and Press Centre.

Activity time per head

Each Games Maker contributed 8 hour shifts on average for about 2 weeks.